Growing up.

This past Monday all three kids had pink eye, so I had to unexpectedly stay home from work with them...all of them. I was, admittedly, a bit grumpy about it. I love my kids, but getting back into a routine after the holidays has been tough, and some days Mama's just got to get out of the house.

But then something happened. While the boys were playing/fighting downstairs, Sydney sat with me at the table while I finished breakfast, and I looked at her. Like really actually looked at her while she was chatting away, hands wrapped around her mug of tea, and she looked so grown up. It seems like just yesterday she was born, and here she is, well on her way to becoming a young woman. I was simultaneously remembering what she was like as a baby and picturing her 20 years from now, hopefully still wanting to sit across from me and chat over a cup of tea.

My beautiful baby girl ~

Snow Mountain Ranch

As one of our Christmas gifts this year, my parents took us all to the YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch camp in Grandby, CO for 4 days and 3 nights over the New Year's holiday. We went up the afternoon of New Year's Eve, with Ben, Aubrey and Brodie meeting us up there that night after a long day of driving from North Dakota. Chelsa and Jy had to unfortunately stay at home with the flu. They were definitely missed!

Snow Mountain Ranch had the perfect set up for our family and we had so much fun!! We each stayed in our own hotel room in the same lodge with the dining hall a short walk across the road and tons of activities on site. We could all choose our own activities, and between all of us we went roller skating, ice skating, tubing, snow shoeing, swimming, played basketball, volleyball, ping pong, and more! We were also able to hang out in each other's rooms, watch a couple football games, order in dinner for some quiet adult time (early bedtime for the kids!), and let the cousins play. Again, so much fun!

In more pictures and less words, our family vacation...

Outside our room - they were eager to play in the snow right away!

Sisters.

 Snowshoeing.

Love, love, love all the cousin time.

 Lots of first timers at the roller rink! Aubrey picked it up right away, Sydney kept plugging away, the boys gave up. Probably a good choice!

 Packed in the van to drive (a short distance) to the tubing hill! This looks safe, huh?

 Proud of my kids for trying so many new things, and having a great attitude through it all.

Uncle Danny and Ryker have a sweet bond.

 Tubing was a favorite for everyone!

The girl cousins. Like Sydney said, "Girls have to stick together!"

Having fun ice skating until poor Sydney fell straight on her bum!

 Siblings.

 All together!

 Six of the seven grand kids. Raum (3), Ryker (2), Myles (6), Brodie (2), Sydney (4), Aubrey (5)

 The whole crew.

Thanks for the great trip, Mom and Dad!

Christmas 2014

We spent Christmas this year at home in Colorado with all of my siblings making the trip here at different points throughout the holidays. Siri and Raum arrived the week before Christmas, and Danny and Nel came Christmas Day! (We saw Ben and his two oldest kiddos the week after.)

Christmas Eve was spent finishing up a few last minute tasks in the morning before Skyping with Grandma and Grandpa Gilbert so we could open the gifts they had sent. It was so fun to still share Christmas together from 800 miles away, and have them watch the kids open their presents. Technology these days, how cool.

After our Skype date, we headed straight to Red Rocks Church where we met my parents, Siri and Raum. Such a good service and message, and an inspiring way to prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus' birth. The older I get, the more content I am during Christmas to simply rest in the amazing gift that Jesus is to this world, my family, me. I love all of the extras that come with the holiday season, but that's nothing without the peace, love, and grace I have come to know through faith.

 Family love.

 Cousin love.

 

Grandparent love.

 

 The kids showing off their fun gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Schaefer!

 Ryker and Raum were captivated by Raum's new dinosaur.

 Christmas Jammies!

Our kids were thrilled Christmas morning to realize that Santa had come! We headed downstairs where Santa had left their stockings and a few gifts by the fireplace. 

Ready to see what Santa brought!

After opening their Santa gifts, we went up by the tree to open their gifts from Mom and Dad. We started by having each kid open one gift at a time while we all watched - you can see how much "help" they were willing to give each other! All three were thankful for the gifts they got, but I was especially proud of Sydney's gratefulness. At one point, she opened a gift and came across the tissue paper first. She exclaimed, "Oh look, I got crumpled up paper!" She was not joking at all, she seriously thought that was her gift, and was happy about it. Sweet girl. I know she was caught up in the excitement of the morning, but she showed that much enthusiasm for each gift she got regardless of what it was.

 Love my boys!

Myles and his Spider-Man Munny. The main thing he'd been asking for after watching somebody put one together on a You-Tube video countless times!

 Ryker and his new canvases custom painted by my dear friend, Amie. They are now hanging in his dinosaur room and look amazing!

After opening gifts, cleaning up, and having breakfast, we spent the next couple of hours opening packages, playing with new toys, hanging new wall hangings in each of the kids' rooms, and getting ready for family to come over.

From top left: Sydney and Myles checking out the vacuum that Santa brought the kids, Sydney playing with new play-doh and decorating her jewelry box in her Frozen dress, Ryker running back and forth on bubble wrap - apparently more fun than any of his new toys!

My parents, Siri, and Raum arrived early afternoon. Danny and Nel flew in that afternoon (their first visit back to the states from Israel in 17 months!), which was a huge highlight of the day. We had a super yummy dinner of steak and salmon thanks to Gilby, and enjoyed the company of family. A fabulous Christmas.

And the days after...

Gilby and I both took the next week off of work, and it felt like an extended holiday with family around and a trip to the mountains (blog to come).

 Wrestling with Uncle Danny!

 Ryker and Danny manning the fire together.

 Uncle David and Tori came into town the day after Christmas! Here David is sorting the dinosaur collection he brought to hand down to his great nephews. A fun display for Ryker's dinosaur room!

More cousin fun!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Happy New Year! We were blessed with amazing family time over the holidays and have been spending the last three weeks with out of town relatives, but now that everyone is gone (sniff), and the decorations are packed away, I'm finally getting back to the blog to document it all.

I loved Christmas growing up, but I think it's even better as a parent. Creating traditions and memories with our kids, and watching their excitement throughout the season has been such a joy. The holidays were pretty stress-free, and we worked to be intentional in our time together and in celebrating the simple things that make this time of year so magical.

Decorating the House & Donning the Tree
I had fun cozying up the house with Christmas decorations, especially those passed on to us by my mom and grandma, and made by the kids. We went as a family to get our tree at a lot raising funds for a local non-profit and the kids did so good decorating it. They were all very careful and deliberate in their decorating this year as compared to the chaos that ensued just one year ago with three slightly younger and more wild kids. 

Clockwise from top left: A ceramic tree made by my grandma in 1971 that we have displayed in Sydney's room for two years now. My grandma's ornaments from Mexico, crafts made by the kids and our Christmas countdown wreath. A wreath craft project mailed to us by our old nanny, Anne Marie, that Sydney and I had fun putting together. An idea Gilby found on Pinterest. Our little tree decorated with my grandma's Nutcracker ornaments.

Christmas Crafts

Gingerbread Houses
We went to dinner at the Murray's house one weekend and the kids made gingerbread houses afterwards. Amie baked these adorable houses by scratch! Ryker ate way more candy than he used to decorate and snuck candy off the houses for days afterward!

Lights, lights, lights!
We went to a tree lighting and Santa's arrival in Southglenn one evening, spent another evening Downtown Littleton to look at the amazing light display there, and walked along Clear Creek in Golden with family for more light fun.

 

 

Snowman!
So although not really holiday related, the kids were excited to make a snowman in our backyard. I was excited it was a 50 degree day!

Decorating Cookies at Grandma's
Cousin Raum and Aunt Siri spent over two weeks here for Christmas and we loved their extended visit! The bond these cousins have is very sibling-like and my kids couldn't get enough time with Raumers. Grandma was brave enough to take on baking and decorating cookies with this wild crew.

More holiday fun to come!